Method of and apparatus for manufacturing coiled edible pastes



Dec. 16, 1952 F. s. LOMBARDI METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING COILED EDIBLE PASTES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 27, 1949 m x 2 a E m M w. N N [N m M I w H M V r W w w H I I "I H g RV.

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m A an {m QN QN lw. m m? Dec. 16, 1952 F. s. LOMBARDI 2,621,615

METHOD OF AND. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING COILED EDIBLE PASTES Filed Aug. 27, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IQANK S. ZOMBAQDI,

QTTQQNEY.

Dec. 16, 1952 F. SLOMBARDI 4 2,621,615

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING COILED EDIBLE PASTES Filed Aug. 27, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 16, 1952 F. s. LOMBARDI 2,621,615

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING COILED EDIBLE PASTES Filed Aug. 27, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIIHHMD INVENTOR.

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Patented Dec. 16, 1952 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANU- FACTURING COILED EDIBLE PASTES Frank S. Lombardi, North Hollywood, Calif.

Application August 27, 1949, Serial No. 112,692

The present invention pertains to means and methods whereby edible pastes, such as vermicelli; spaghetti, tagliarini, and other string-like pastes may be eiirciently manufactured in a sanitary anner. Although the means and methods of the invention may be carried out in various ways for the production of a number of species of edible pastes, the invention is of particular utility when applied to the manufacture of What is known as coiled vermicelli or spaghetti.

Various edible pastes are made from suitable stiff doughs by extrusion through dies, the configuration of the die imparting a characteristic appearance to the resulting foodstuff. Spaghetti, macaroni, vermicelli, lasagna, and other varieties of edible pastes differ in cross-sectional size and contour, but all of them are made in substantially the same manner. One of the popular forms of paste consists of a plurality of stringlike pastes coiled into a pat, the coiling causing the string-like paste to assume a zig-zag or figure 8 configuration in the pat.

Heretofore, coiled vermicelli (which is one of the characteristic forms of paste referred to hereinabove) involved extensive hand labor, bundles of vermicelli being coiled by hand into the desired pat. Many disadvantages are inherent in this manual operation. In the first place, theoperation is not entirely sanitary and requires manual manipulation of the many strands of vermicelli. Secondly, the pats are not of uniform size or weight. As a result, when the pats are packaged and it is desirable that each package contain a predetermined Weight of product, it has been found necessary to often break a pat into two or three pieces in order to make sure that the package assumes the desired predetermined weight. As a result, the customer always received a broken pat or just a part of a pat in addition to the complete coils and the manufacturer was subjected to the added labor costs incidental to individual Weighings of the packages and the materials cost incidental to the destruction of many pats or coils, the necessity of disposing of many broken pieces and the useless expenditure of time in operating without the production of complete, salable articles in many instances.

The present machine obviates all of these difiiculties and permits the manufacture of coiled vermicelli, each coil being of a predetermined weight and the coils being uniform as to size and shape. Since the coils are of a predetermined and virtually constant weight, a given number of such coils will always produce a complete package of a desired Weight and it is not neces- 8 Claims. (Cl. 10754) sary to use portions of coils to make up weight. The operation, moreover, is entirely mechanical, eliminating manual handling, and not only is a greater quantity of finished product manufactured per hour with a greatly reduced labor force, but the product itself is more salable and uniform.

It is to be remembered that all edible pastes of the character hereinbefore mentioned are dried before being packaged. The machine of this invention not only forms the coils but automatically places them upon drying trays which can be moved into a drier in an automatic manner, further eliminating handling and thereby insuring freedom from contamination.

Generally stated, the method of the present invention comprises extruding a number of bundles of strands of paste simultaneously in a continuous manner, subjecting them to the action of drying air to surface-dry each of said strands, automatically coiling a predetermined length of each bundle so as to simultaneously form a plurality of coils and automatically placing the coils thus formed upon an intermittently advancing drying tray. As a result, uniform coils are placed in proper spaced relation upon a drying tray and such drying tray may then be moved or carried into a drier for final curing.

The machine of the present invention is not only capable of accomplishing the steps hereinbeiore described, but is also adapted to produce other edible paste products. By changing the die used in the extrusion head ofthe machine and by regulating the operation of the cutting knives, coiling fingers, transfer conveyor, etc., coils of different shape and size may be manufactured at will. By elin'nnating a coiling finger, predetermined lengths of spaghetti and other pastes can be made.

It is an object of the present invention, there fore, to disclose and provide a method of manufacturing edible pastes in strand form in an automatic'manner, whereby contact with the hands of operators is eliminated and a more uniform and sterile product is obtained.

Another object of the invention is to disclose and provide a machine for automatically coiling vermicelli and other string-like pastes.

A still further object of the invention is to disclosed and provide a machine capable of producing coiled vermicelli and the like in asanitary manner, all of the coils being substantiallyuniform in contour and weight.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled Fig. 3-is an enlarged vertical section taken longitudinally through the head of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, longitudinal section through the head of the machine .illustrating a final position in a series of operations.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of "a portion of the knife-actuating and coiling finger actuating mechanism shown in side elevation in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, taken along the plane VI.-VI in Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 isa horizontal section .taken along 1 the plane.-VII-VII in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8-is a front view, partly, in section, taken along-the plane VIII-NIH in Fig. 3;

Figs. 9, 9a, 9b and 9c diagrammatically repre sent successive. positions assumedby. certain of the parts during the formation of a coil.

Figs. 10 and 11 arediagrammatic representations of two. successive positions assumed bythe transfer conveyor.

Fig. 12 isa perspective view of' a coil of vermicelli automatically manufactured by the machine.

The machinemay comprise asuitable base.

frame I having. a lower-p1atform..2lsupportinga. motor. 3 and an associated gear. case. from which extends the drive shaft 4. At asomewhat' higher. level-there are provided longitudinally.extending,

spaced, horizontal; paralleltrackwaysor guides 5 and-5f upon which dryingtrays. (frames provided with a foraminous or screen-like bottom) suchesrfiandS I are intermittently advanced. Immediately above the .plane of movement offthe drying traysis an intermittently operatedftransfer conveyor 1, oneportion of such conveyoriextendingbeneath a die head B'through which the pasteis extruded. Thedie head is supplied with a suitable mixed dough from anauger chamber 9 (see.Figs. 1 and.3)., such auger chamber includinga. screw conveyor. driven by shaft iii" and a suitable. sprocket. chain drive. or other driving connectionil from a motor. l2. carried upon a bracketabove the plane of travelof the drying trays.

Flour or other ingredients requiredlto'makelthe' dough maybe supplied'from suitablehoppersxori bins; l3 .ontoa feedinglmechanism. M which feeds The dough mixer may be the dough. mixer l5. driven from the shaft it :by a chain or belt H5.

The dough mixer l5 discharges its contents throughv an auxiliary. mixer. or'feed'er ll. into.

one end of the auger chamber 9, the auger forc ing the paste into the die head 8'. Those skilled in the" art will readily. ppreciate that" various methods and mechanisms for properly. feeding the ingredients into a'dough mixer, .varioustypes of "dough. mixers. and various types of "drives" can be used in mixing dough. and supplying 'tl'iesame to a die head and no claims of invention are made to these specific elements.

The die head 8 may assume a variety of forms,

but,.as showrnmay include a main housing provided with a removable front plate 2i; saidfrontplate including a journalfor the forward endoi the screw conveyor which rotates within 4 the feeding chamber 9. The bottom of the die head 8 is provided with a removable die 22. Die 22 is provided with groups of ports or perforations through which the paste is extruded. Seven such groups of perforations are indicated in Fig. 6, although it is to be understood that a larger or smaller number of groups may be employed, depending upon the capacity of the dough mixer and the character of thepasteproduct being made; Thenumber of perforations or ports in each group may vary appreciably. When coiled vermicelli is being manufactured, from 30 to 60 portsmay. be used in each group, resulting in 3'9to (it-separate. strands of vermicelli in each finished'coil thereof. It is to be understood that the'interior ofv thehead 8 may be provided with suitable distributing. vanes for the purpose of uniformly supplying paste from the uger chamber fiito each of the groups of ports in the die 22.

It will be observed that the die 22 is in a substantially horizontahplaneso.as.to permit the strands of vermicelli. tov be. discharged downwardly and hang by.gravity,- as indicated. at M inFigs. 3 and 6.".

Inorder. to preventthestrands of vermicclii fromsticking, to each other unnecessarily, means areprovidedfor subjecting. the freshly extruded vermicellilto. a surface or skin. drying. Such means may compriseamotor-driven fan 25" carried by the .baseframeofjthe machine, such fan discharging into a manifold 26 having branches 21.and28'extendingtransversely of the machine immediately below the die 22. These branch lines. 21 and'28are. provided with .a plurality of" opposing. air ports (indicatedin Fig. 3) which direct the air supplied'tothe manifold by the fan. 25 against the descending strands vermicelli;

Ascthev strands ofvermicelli' of each group. descend they, pass through openings in a knife assembly, generally indicatedat 30', which is supported by brackets 41 hereinafter described, andv then downwardlybetween stripping'and supporting platesS'l and 32 through which coiling fingers ,are adapted'to move, and then onto the transfer conveyor I;

Operation of coiling fingers The stripping. and supporting bars 3! and 32 mentioned. hereina'bove' are mounted for slidable movement transversely, of. the machine and as" indicated in Fig. 8.ma .slide through slotsiformed' in downwardly extending members33 and 34 car riedlby the'knife assembly 39. It willbe" noted that) the... front" of thamachine, is provided with two stripping bars 3 I and 3 l onefor 'morestrippingbarsimay be used, depending upon the number of 'convolutions tobe imparted to thevermicelli.., Each of'the stripping bars: 3|. and 3.|"is' provided witha plurality of apertures adapted to slidably receive the coiling fingers or pins 35 and 35'. These coiling fingers are. carried by'asupport. 36carried by the lower end of brackets 31 each pivotally connected to a stud pin 38 (see Figs. 3; 4 and 5'). The. stud pins 33. extend through a slot formed in crank arms 39; carried by the upper endof stub shafts 4D. A' similar crank. arm-.39 is carriedby the lower end of each stub shaft iil. and operates opposing'coiling fingers extending forwardly from the supporting member 36", and this supporting member is supported'in part by crank arms 39 and stud pins 38' and inpartbycoaction of fingers with bar 32. A description of the means for operating boilingfihgers 35.and.3.5 will be sufiicient, since parent. The operation of the fingers will be best understood by conceiving that the tip of each finger moves along an oval path in a horizontal plane, said path including the area through which the bundle of strands of vermicelli passes. The fingers 45 and 45 therefore move longitudinally of the machine into position alongside the bundle of vermicelli 24, as indicated in Fig. 9, and then move transversely into the position indicated in Fig. 9a and then move longitudinally toward the rear of the machine. During such movements the fingers and 35' first move longitudinally into position adjacent the bundle of vermicelli, then transversely into the position indicated in Fig. 9a and then longitudinally toward the front of the machine. During the lastmentioned movements of the fingers (wherein the fingers 35 move toward the front of the machine and the fingers 45 move toward the rear of the machine) said fingers are retracted through the respective stripper and support plates 3!, 3i and 32, 32' into the position indicated in Fig. 10, permitting the now coiled bundle or pat of vermicelli to be dropped upon the transfer conveyor 7, since the bundle has been before the pin 38 (Fig. 5) is provided with a roller 44 which is slidably received in an oval camway or track-'- way 46 formed in the upper surface of each bracket 41 in which stub shaft is journal'ed. The corresponding arm 39' carrying stud pin 38' is also provided with a roller end riding within an oval camway 46 formed in the lower face of bracket 41. It will be noted, however, that the arms 39 and 39 are oppositely'directed. Rotation of shaft 46 will therefore impart opposite movements to the supports 36 and 36' which are connected to the respective stud pins 38 and 38'. Each of the stub shafts 4D is provided with a worm wheel 49 in engagement with the worm 56 mounted upon a'shaft 5| suitably journaled and provided with the sprocket 52. driven by suitable means such as the chain 53 from a countershaft 54 (see Fig. 1), the shaft 54 being driven in turn by the drive shaft 4.

Knife-actuating mechanism The cutter head assembly, generally indicated at 30, comprises a horizontally disposed frame including a lower stationary knife or series of knives 60 and an upper knife plate 6I.' The knives 60 and BI may be in the form of steel plates each provided with a squared aperture such as the apertures 56, 51, 58 and 59 (Fig. 7) through which the bundles of vermicelli may extend. The edges of these apertures are sharp- The shaft 5| is abutment 65, insures the above-mentioned alignment of ports.

One of the stub shafts 40 also carries an actuating arm 66 (see Fig. 5) and during the rotation of the stub shaft 40 said arm 66 intermittently and periodically contacts the roller 63 on arm 62 carried by knife plate 6|, causing said knife plate 6| to move against the action of spring 64 to the right, as indicated in Figs. 9-90, thereby cutting off the bundles of vermicelli extending through the variousopenings 56-59. As soon as arm 66 loses contact with roller 63, the biasing spring 64 returns the knife assembly to its original position permitting the constantly descending bundles of vermicelli to again pass through the knife assembly.

In the illustrated example, the knife assembly has been shown as composed of two plates, each provided with an opening, the edges of such plates adjacent such openings being sharpened soas to act as knives. It will also be understood that by properly positioning the arm 66 on stub shaft 40 (with respect to the position of arms 39 and 39' and the location of roller 63) the cutting-off operation may be suitably timed with respect to the coiling operation previously described. These matters of adjustment are left to the skill of the mechanic and operator.

Transfer conveyor The transfer conveyor 1 is a continuous, belttype conveyor mounted upon rollers H, 12 and 13, these rollers being suitably journaled in pillow blocks connectedto a frame 1, the forward end of such frame being pivotally connected as at 74 to the main frame I or an extension thereof indicated at 15. In order to prevent the flexible, slightly moist, coiled vermicelli from falling any appreciable distance from the coiling fingers onto a non-yielding surface and thereby becoming compacted, means are provided whereby the transfer conveyor 1 rises in timed relation to the coiling and cutting-off operations, so as to meet the freshly made coils. This is accomplished by providing the pivotal frame I with a downwardly extending bracket 16 provided with a roller H adapted to ride upon a cam 18 mounted on shaft 79 (see Figs. 3 and 4). Shaft 19 is driven through suitable sprockets and a chain 80 from shaft 5 I. and ceiling devices, its speed controls the movements of cam 76 and the rise and fall of frame 1 upon which conveyor 1 is mounted. When in the lowermost position (Fig. 3) the strands of vermicelli extend below the coiling fingers. When the coiling fingers have been actuated, the transfer conveyor is raised into the position indicated in Fig. 4 so that when the coiling fingers are withdrawn from the coils the coiled'pa't of vermicelli is deposited onto the conveyor Twith out being compacted, whereupon the transfer conveyor '5 is lowered and simultaneously ad-- vanced so as to move the coil of vermicelli toward a flexible apron 8i and deposit same upon the foraminous bottom 82 of a tray 6.

Transfer conveyor 1 is intermittently driven as follows. 'Roller 12 is provided with a shaft bearing a sprocket 84, this sprocket being connected by a flexible chain drive 85 with a sprocket mounted on a transversely xtending shaft- 86' (see Fig. l). Shaft 86 is intermittently driven as follows. A countershaft 8? is continuously driven by chain 88 from a sprocket on countershaft 54. The end of shaft 81 carries a disc or crank arm-90 Since shaft 5| controls the cutting-off.

(see; Eig-z 2)... The. crank: or. disc: 90. is; prov f'd'edi with a connecting rod 9| pivotally connected; as at.z.92.: to apawl arm: 93. IOOSGlYf'j ournal'ed i on shaft 85;. adjacent: a ratchet wheel 94 mounted: on said shaft; 8! Continuous rotation; of: shaft- B't is therefore translated: into an. intermittent, unis directionalrotation of; shaft 86-. Such: intermitetient; rotation-v is' transmitted. by chain. 85. to-v the transferconveyor-t "It.

more chains: 9 5 i in: engagement: with sprockets." 9.6

mountedupon; shaft. 86, these chains passing over.-a.. freely: journaled sprocket. 91: journaled: in".

therearend of the machinea, The'chains;9;5.=are

provided with dogs Hand 98. adapted-tot abut the.

rear'ends of drying, trays; 6: audit. It will be therefore. evident thatwhenever thetransfer conveyor; I; is: lowered and intermittently driven, thetray; 8 is:.also: driven; forwardly a predetermined amount. andaas: a resultithe series. of: coils: of 'vermicelli; which. have: just: been; coiled: by: the: fin

gers: are deposited. upon; the; tray; in; spacedirelation to, a. preceding-series of coils;.as: illustrated;

Emmathedescription givenhere'inabove, it will lie-noted that a number of operations take place in timed relation. Pressure'fe'ed of paste-into the diehead' may be continuous and the extrusion of vermic'elli may also be continuous. However, thefollowing operationstake place in sequence": (.1)

the coiling'pins' are operated"; (2) the transfer conveyonis-raise'd; (3) the-bundles of vermicelli paste? are cut; (4) the coiling pins are' withdrawn; (5) the transfer conveyor islowered and advanced and the drying tray is moved;

It w-ill be notedthat all of-' these operations takesplace automatically without the necessity *of' The operahaving: workers: handle the paste; tion is; conducted without contact with humans:

It isto'be remembered that" although two pairs of coiling fingers have been illustrated, the in"- vention is not'limitedthereto. A suitable productcanxbemadebyusing-pins'such as-35, 45 and Hi without the use of; coiling fingers 35'. By changing the arrangement of ports in the die' head; the number of individual strands in a. bundle, the, number" of? folds. imparted thereto,

ethe may be: controlled and. various configuraztionsmay. be. impartedto. the coils. By regulateinggthesneedatwhich the paste is extruded, other changesin-the weight and contour of the finished coil..mayb attained; The shapev of. the oval camway "46, will also influence. the shape of the. coils the'shape, size andxweightof thefinishedcoilof vermieelli; or. spaghetti. can be: readily satisfied by; minor; changes, in. the controlling elements" hereinabove referred to.

Moreover, those skilled in the-artwill readily appreciate that-the machineiscapable of pro-- ducing; a: largetonnageof product with much.

greater. uniformity: than has been-heretofore attamed.

AlL-changes andimodifications coming within.

Simultaneously shaft: 86: imparts: intermittent; movement to the drying-.- traysti and 6 This. is: accomplished by oneor:

The desires-.ofthe purchasing" public as to- 8; the; scope oi? the appended claims, are embraced. thereby;

I claim:

plane ofzmovement-ofuone coiling finger being dis-- placed. vertically with respect: to the. plane of movement of the other. fingery means.- for moving said fingerstransversely from beyond. one sideof said groupto the other side. of saidgroup simultaneously-but. in-opposite. directionsand then.1at-- erally out of.- contact withthe group of strands;

means for severing said group-of strands in a.

zoneibetween said coiling. finger-sand extruding means; and means; ior. actuating, said severing meanszin. timed. relation to the movement of. said coiling fingers.

2.. In an. apparatus of the. character stated in. claim.1;the. provision of means, cooperating with;

said. coilingfingers, .forrestraining .lateral movement of. strands. of edible paste during lateral movement of the-coiling fingers.

=3. Inana'pparatus for coiling; groups of stringlike ediblev pastes, the combination of; means for. continuously extruding: a. group of separate strandsof edible-paste inclose proximity to-each other;v a pair of coiling fingers, each. movable along a path in a planetransverse to.the.,axis of said. groupv of.. strands. ofv paste,- said path. of movementextendingrfrom beyond one. side of said group, of. strands to beyond; the other sid-eof said. group, the pathoflmovement ofcne of-saidfingersbeing in. a. plane. displaced. along theaxisof the.

groupirom .the plane-of the path-of movement of' the. other. oflsaidfingers; means for'severingsaid group .of iextruded.strands and means .for. actuatingsaidi severing v means. in timedrelation. to the movementofsaidcoiling fingers.

In an. apparatus'of. the character. stated. in.

claim, 3 the..pr.ovision. or means,- positioned be.-

tween said extruding meansand severing. means.

for. directing. a. blast. of. air: upon. the. freshly ex.- trudedistrand's.

5.. In .anqautomatic. machinerfor coiling vermis celli andlothenstringelike edible. pastes, the. come binationof: means; for. continuouslyand downs Wardly extruding agroup of Y strands. of ediblepaste; transversely movable... stripping, members. positioned. in. front and, imback. of. a. group-of.v

strands extruded by said extruding means, said stripping membersmovablein vertically displaced planes with respect to each other; a laterally movable coilingfing-er sli-dably exten'dingthrough each. of. said stripping members; and. means. for.

moving saidcoilingifingers transversely from:beyond one..side..ofj saidv grouptdthe other. side of said group simultaneously but inopposite directions to coil a freshly extrudedgroup of 'strands and for moving said fingerslaterally in. opposite directions" out of contact with thecoiled'strands.

6. Inan apparatusof the character stated in claim 5 the provision of means for severingthe group of strands in' a zonebetween the coiling fingers and extruding means.

'7. Iii-an apparatus of thecharaeter statedin claim 5 the provision of "means for severing'said' group of strands in a zone between the-coiling fingers .andextruding: means and a" single driving means for. actuating; the severing meansin timed relation to the movement of the coiling fingers.

8; A. method or" automatically making coiled vermicelli and the like which comprises: continuously extruding a group of strands of vermicelli; passing coiling fingers transversely through said group of strands in spaced planes simultaneously :and in opposite directions; severing the group of strands thus coiled; and Withdrawing the coiling fingers laterally from the coiled vermicelli while restraining the coiled vermicelli against lateral movement.

FRANK S. LOMBARDI.

REFERENCES CIIEB The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 19 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Chong Jan. 4, 1910 Amouroux July 13, 1915 Boehm Mar. 29, 1921 Tanzi Dec. 22, 1925 Funck Feb; 9, 1932 Mariani Dec. 25, 1934 Guldbech Mar. 11, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany July 22, 1929 

